Little visits with great Americans
This book is a real find. It contains interviews with the greatest self-made Americans in all fields of business, like Edison Lipton and others.
"Experience," says the proverb, "is a dear school, and none but fools learn therein." The inference is that to be wise one must suffer himself to be taught by the experience of others.
This volume contains the life stories, told by themselves, of many successful men and women, with emphasis on those experiences which to them appear to have been the turning points in their lives. It is not likely that there is anywhere in existence a similar collection of heart-to-heart talks with distinguished people of equal value to this.
The idea of requesting the leaders in the invention, manufacture, transportation, commerce, finance, in political and public life, and in the professions of the ministry, the law, literature and art, to bequeath in their own words the stories of their lives, their ideals, and the lessons of their experience, to the American public, originated with Orison Swett Marden and contributed in no small degree to the immediate and remarkable popularity of Success, in which many of these interviews first appeared.
The early files of the magazine are long since exhausted, but the interest in, and demand for, these articles is sufficient assurance that they are of enduring merit, and deserve to be collected in permanent form. Preface We regard them as a trust.
We do not feel that we have a right to withhold them from the public. We have accordingly fulfilled our obligation by presenting them in an attractive form, and we are well assured that young and old alike who are striving to attain their ideals in life will recognize the fact that the highest form of self-interest will lead them to read and absorb the practical helpfulness contained in these pages
. Many and varied careers have been selected, so that each one may find his ideal of success fulfilled in real life, and be aroused to a lofty aspiration and resolute determination to achieve like eminence.
With Emer- son we say, "Hitch your wagon to a star." and, with Lowell, "Not failure, but low aim, is a crime." While for the most part, the experiences portrayed in this book occurred upon American soil, in several in- stances persons born or now living abroad, but prominently identified with American life, have been included.
We acknowledge our indebtedness to the publishers of the "Literary Digest," of "Collier's Weekly," of the "American Review of Reviews," and others who kindly loaned valuable photographs for reproduction, and also to members of the Success editorial staff for valuable assistance in the preparation of this volume.
some contents:
I. Hard Work, the Secret of a Great Inventor's Genius — Thomas Alva Edison 17
II. A " Down-East " Yankee Who Dictates Peace to the Nations — Hiram Stevens Maxim. .. . 35
MANUFACTURE.
III. A Poor Boy Who Once Borrowed Books Now Gives Away Libraries — Andreiv Carnegie 51
IV. A Good Shoemaker Becomes Detroit's Best
Mayor and ]\Iichigan's Greatest GovernorHazen S. Pingree 71
COMMERCE.
V. Determination Not to Remain Poor Made a Farmer Boy Merchant Prince — Marshall Field 80
VI. Honesty the Foundation of a Great Merchant's Career — John Wanamaker 92
VII. A British Boy Wins Fortune and Title by
American Business Methods — Sir Thomas Lipton 108
American Business Methods — Sir Thomas Lipton 108
FINANCE.
VIII. A Self-made Man Who Strives to Give Others a Chance — Darius Ogden Mills 117
IX. Thrift, the Secret of a Fortune Built in a Single Lifetime — Russell Sage 125
X. Cut Out for a Banker, He Rose from Errand Boy to Secretary of the United States
Treasury — Lyman Judson Gage 131
XL A Young Millionaire Not Afraid to Work in Overalls — Cornelius Vanderbilt 138
TRANSPORTATION.
XII. A Messenger Boy's Zeal Lifts Him to the Head of the World's Greatest Telegraph System — Robert C. Clozvry 144
XIII. Enthusiasm for Railroading Makes a Section Hand Head of the Metropolitan System —
Herbert H. Vrceland 152
Herbert H. Vrceland 152
XIV. A Factory Boy's Purpose to Improve Labor Makes Him a Great Leader — Samuel Gompers 164
PUBLIC LIFE.
XV. A Puny Boy, by Physical Culture, Becomes the Most Vigorous of American Presidents
— Theodore Roosevelt 173
— Theodore Roosevelt 173
XVI. A Brave Volunteer Fights His Way to the Head of the American Army — Nelson A. Miles 188
XVII. IMaking the Most of His Opportunities Wins a Coveted Embassy — Joseph H. Choate . . 196